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GSSA
The 1820 Settler Correspondence
 as preserved in the National Archives, Kew
 and edited by Sue Mackay

pre 1820 Settler Correspondence before emigration

ALL the 1819 correspondence from CO48/41 through CO48/46 has been transcribed whether or not the writers emigrated to the Cape. Those written by people who did become settlers, as listed in "The Settler Handbook" by M.D. Nash (Chameleon Press 1987), are labelled 1820 Settler and the names of actual settlers in the text appear in red.

BEALE, Thomas (1)

National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 175

5 Chapel Street

Grosvenor Square

4th January 1819

Sir,

I am induced to trespass again on your time in consequence of the disquietude of some who have engage to accompany me to the Cape of Good Hope as also from my own anxiety to arrive at that Colony previous to the departure therefrom of the present Governor, Lord Charles SOMERSET, to whom I have the honour of being personally known. It may also be necessary to acquaint you for the information of Lord BATHURST that those of the number whose names I had the honour to lay before you have relinquished their engagements too as I am informed to proceed to the United States of America. I beg however to state that should his Lordship be pleased to approve of my proceeding to that Colony I shall have no difficulty in completing the numbers already proposed on the terms and plan stated in your printed letter of the 27th October last. But should it meet the approbation of his Lordship to deviate from the plan therein laid down and allow the settlers who may engage to emigrate to that Colony rations on their passage thereto, I will engage within three weeks from receiving notice thereof to take with me from twenty to thirty settlers with their families, for each of whom I will deposit the security required by the said letter to be returned to me on their being located on the land assigned.

I have the honour to be Sir your most obedient humble servant

Thos. BEALE

178 (written by his wife)

5 Chapel Street

Grosvenor Square

17th March 1819

Sir,

Your letter of the 8th did not reach me till the morning of the 11th instant, too late to send to Mr. BEALE by the post that morning, who being at Ludlow in Shropshire could not possibly receive it till the 14th, but as he has not yet arrived in Town I think it necessary to inform you of the cause of the apparent neglect on his part as he has fully determined on proceeding to the Cape of Good Hope as early as possible. I feel that I can with confidence assure you that he will take the earliest opportunity on his arrival of communicating with you on the subject thereof.

I am Sir your very obedient humble servant

Eliza Ann BEALE

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 182/183

5 Chapel Street

Grosvenor Square

2nd April 1819

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th ultimo which was forwarded to me at Ludlow where I detained some days from unforeseen family occurrences and on my arrival in Town, to which I hastened in consequence thereof, met with undesirable obstruction from having lost my acceptance to some Bills for a supposed friend. That difficulty no sooner removed than another more formidable presented itself & Mr. J.T. ERITH, who is engaged to accompany me to the Cape of Good Hope, taking advantage of my absence and subsequent misfortune has from his own acknowledgement made application to Earl BATHURST for a similar grant with a view of prevailing on those engaged with me to accompany him to that Colony. I have however the pleasure to inform you that the number engaged to accompany me is now complete, that a meeting is to take place on Monday after which I shall be prepared to wait upon you as early as you may be pleased to appoint to make the final arrangements previous to sailing for that Colony. I herewith transmit you a list and description of the persons engaged and have the honour to be Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

Thos. BEALE

Thos. BEALE Gent Wife

Bernard George BEALE Do.

W.S. SIMONS Do. Wife

Thos. KIMBER Cook Wife 1 Child

Jas. Thos. ERITH Baker Wife 2 Do.

John CLARK Farmer & Grazier

Servants to Messrs. BEALES, SIMONS & ERITH & Wifes

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 180

Navy Office

5th April 1819

Mr. HARDING presents his compliments to Mr. BARNARD and has reason to believe that Mr. BEALE and 9 other persons who are to embark at Deptford on the “Pilot” have not joined that vessel, and inform him that it is necessary they should be hastened on board as the vessel is about to sail.

 

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National Archives, Kew CO48/41, 184/185

5 Chapel Street

Grosvenor Square

13th April 1819

Sir,

It is with the most heart felt sorrow I have again the honour of addressing you on the subject of my emigration to the Cape of Good Hope. The period for which I have most anxiously looked for during the last six months since which I have expended upwards of eighty pounds and declined several offers of a settlement at home whereby I had an opportunity of supporting my family with some degree of credit and respectability. I now however find I have placed too much confidence in those I expected would accompany me, but two of whom are now ready to do so, relying on the promises and considering them men of honour I did not enforce the payment of the sums necessary to accomplish the object in view, and which they were assured would be required of them. For one I inadvertently endorsed some Bills for which I was obliged to pay on Saturday last upwards of seventy seven pounds, making together near one hundred and sixty pounds already expended on this enterprize with but two persons left to accompany me and without the means of paying down an hundred pounds as required by the instructions received from you and victualling near twenty passengers for a voyage of twelve or fourteen weeks. If however a free passage can be granted for three settlers, two with wives and two children, I am ready to proceed immediately with such grant as you may be pleased to confer on us, & I will with as little delay as possible procure three persons who shall immediately deposit a sum necessary to accomplish the object or enter into an agreement to do so when called on.

I am extremely anxious to arrive in the Colony during the Government of His Excellency Lord Charles SOMERSET, to whom I have the honour of being personally known, as also from being the bearer of settlers to him from several persons of distinction, particularly the Viscountess LAKE.

The payment of an hundred pounds into the hands of the person you may appoint to receive it will preclude the possibility of another disappointment which is felt by none so sincerely as by myself.

I have the honour to be Sir your most obedient humble servant

Thos. BEALE

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